Rock Hole Long Pipe project
Captain Cool Gudia, the Monster and the Girl
The launch
CAN WA launched its second publication of the year this Thursday, 25 June, in Coolgardie. Captain Cool Gudia, the Monster and the Girl, the story of the Rock Hole Long Pipe project, both tells the fairytale from the performance, and articulates the process and production of the Rock Hole Long Pipe project.
Photo credits > T/L-R Rock Hole Long Pipe publication launch > Uta Conway (FaHCSIA), David Sudmalis (Australia Council), Pilar Kasat and Frank Walsh (courtesy of Kalgoorlie Miner) > B L-R Pilar Kasat, Managing Director, speaks at the launch > Students at Coolgardie Primary School receive their books. Photos by Gemma Pepper.
CAN WA engaged 14 artists from a range of disciplines to work with the people of Coolgardie and Kambalda over a nine month period in 2008. In this time relationships were established with a number of key individuals and institutions in the town, and they were invited to participate in the creation and performance of a multi-arts community event. On 20 September 2008, over 100 participants from the community wound their way through the streets of Coolgardie in a vibrant and engaging performance. This publication will be of benefit to advocates in schools, communities, local government, government and community arts practitioners to encourage support for similar projects in other communities.
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Rock Hole Long Pipe project and performance
As the sun set on the gnamma hole in Coolgardie on Saturday, 20 September, smoke signals sent by Madawonga Galagoo elder Dorothy Dimer signified the beginning of Rock Hole Long Pipe. Over a year of hard work and organisation culminated in a vibrant and exciting parade that wound its way through the back streets of Coolgardie to the central park.
Photo credit: Peter Docker as Captain Cool Gudia. Photo by Mike Gray.
Led by professional actor Peter Docker (known for his roles in Aussie films and TV shows such as Harry’s War and Blue Heelers) playing Captain Cool Guardia and local actor Elizabeth Trott, the procession of over 100 school students from Coolgardie and Kambalda told the story of Captain Cool Guardia’s return from the Western Desert with a caged uncontrollable and ugly monster - really one of our native animals, a giant echidna. Captain Cool Guardia agreed to release the echidna, only if the audience of a couple of hundred local people completed three tasks.
Photo credit: The giant echidna. Photo by Mike Gray.
The end of the procession at Coolgardie Park was marked with the release of the giant echidna and a stunning fireworks display. Animator Steve Aiton and community artist Poppy van Oorde-Grainger spent four weeks working with students from the Coolgardie Christian Aboriginal Parent-directed School (CAPS) and Kambalda District High to create a performance about the history of water in the area. The students produced larger than life animations that were projected onto the walls of the museum and spectacular costumes worn by the good Captain's 'slaves' and the musicians. Large lanterns were created by students with the guidance of Alison Clough, the 2008 International Healthway Arts in Health Fellowship recipient. The lanterns were spectacularly set alight as a memorial to the large fires that once swept through Coolgardie area. Performances by the volunteer fire brigade, a bikie, a local poet and the Hedgebandits band ended what was a dramatic and exciting community event.
Photo credit: Annalese Lindsay and Rebecca Stokes with their paper lantern creations. Photo by Mike Gray
A big thanks goes out to the supporters of this community event - Community Arts Network WA, FaHCSIA’s Stronger Families and Communities Strategy, BHP Billiton Nickle West, Healthway, Shire of Coolgardie, Department of Culture and the Arts, Australia Council for the Arts, Country Arts WA, the Regional Arts Fund and the communities of Coolgardie and Kambalda.